The Big Issue offers some of the most excluded people in the country a unique opening to take some control of their lives & earn a legitimate income. Vendors make a personal choice to buy their magazines with their own money, taking charge of their finances & sales whilst developing the skills required to retail to the public.

The Big Issue was launched in 1991 by Gordon Roddick & John Bird in response to the growing number of rough sleepers on the streets of London. They set out to address the problem of homelessness by offering homeless people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income; to ‘help them to help themselves’.

The Big Issue Foundation is a financially independent charity which builds around the unique trust that we establish with homeless people to deliver a brighter future, boosting self esteem & helping vendors to reclaim their citizenship.

We are often approached at a time of unimaginable personal crisis. Our front line team focuses on cultivating strong working relationships with Big Issue vendors & connects them to services & the vital bespoke support that is need to help homeless people journey away from the street. Our work is focused through four main programme areas: Health, Finance, Housing & Aspirations.

Additionally, our national ‘Vendor Support Fund’ is available on application to vendors throughout the UK. The fund aims to give a small hand up to vendors with a specific objective in mind.